“To say this is a kid thing and kids will be kids that’s not what it is,” said Artesia Police Commander Lindell Smith.

Smith says the older boy claimed it was retaliation.

“The eighth grader tripped or nearly tripped on the smaller kid’s legs and apparently that set him off,” he said.

According to the police report, the eighth grader, who attends Park Junior High School, allegedly hit the first grade boy because he thought the young boy was trying to trip him when he was getting off the bus.

Local parents are angry.

“It’s scary because he’s probably twice his size and what three times older than he is,” said one woman.

The 6-year-old suffered minor injuries to his face including scratches and visible red marks.

“It wasn’t to where he was bleeding on the floor and caused multiple traumas, but that doesn’t lessen what happened,” said Smith.

The Artesia school district says the situation has been taken care of.

The superintendent would not say what type of disciplinary action, if any, was taken against the student.